Small Group Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour
Recommended by 90% of travelers
Rome, Italy
- 2 to 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Colosseum is one of the world’s iconic ancient sites, but decoding its ruins takes the help of an expert. Learn the stories behind this millennia-old gladiatorial ring on a private tour that also includes a visit to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Audio headsets are provided, so you’ll be able to explore freely without missing a word of the guide’s commentary.
- Late-morning departure times let you sleep in, or plan other activities
- Understand the ancient arena in context with stories of gladiators and emperors
- Learn about three of Rome's most iconic ancient attractions in a single tour
- Listen to live commentary via audio headsets, allowing you unrestricted mobility
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Keep your travel budget in check—this group tour has an affordable price that won't break the bank.
What's Included
- Entrance to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum
- Audio Equipment to hear the guide clearly
- All Fees and Taxes
- Colosseum entrance ticket (valued at €18 per person)
- Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
- Please note: Colosseum fees as above. The remaining cost of the experience covers other services.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Tips and Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Via della Polveriera, 13, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Go to the terrace above the “Colosseo” Metro Station. At the top, cross the footbridge, then walk up the road on your left. Check in with our staff wearing purple T-shirts at Crown Tours office No. 13, marked with purple flags outside.
End point
- Palatine HillVia di S. Gregorio, 30, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Ticket Redemption Point
Via della Polveriera, 13, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Itinerary
1
Colosseum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Roman Forum
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Palatine Hill
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers' full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- ID may be required for entrance (especially for guests under the age of 18). Guests who show up without ID cannot be guaranteed entrance.
- It is forbidden to bring inside the Colosseum: glass, sharped objects, alcohol, spray
- Comfortable shoes are recommended
- In July and August due to the heat the duration of the visit is 2 hours and a half
- Upon choosing our guided tour, you acknowledge and accept that the admission fee to the archaeological sites is 16 euros for adults, accompanied by a 2 EUR booking fee, and free admission ticket for children under 18. The remaining amount is voluntary and includes services provided by skilled licensed guides, headsets, booking fees, and other tour amenities. Our goal is to provide transparency and ensure your understanding of the cost breakdown, allowing you to fully recognize the value of our guided experience.
- The order of the tour is subject to internal arrangements at the Colosseum, we highly suggest you to contact us for any question.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 3 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 1,693 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Deirdre_B, Jun 2026
Great tour! We enjoyed exploring the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum. Guide provided just enough info - super knowledgeable while still allowing us to explore on our own.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re glad you enjoyed exploring the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum, and that your guide provided the right balance of knowledge and time to explore. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Nick_S, Jun 2026
The English speaking tour guide has very hard to understand English, and stops in places to talk that made no sense given we did not understand what she was saying. While the guide seemed friendly she also 1 forgot or lost her “flag / find me wand” and was not wearing anything to make her stand out so whe she moved quickly through very cm larger groups, it was hard to keep up and then also hard to find her. She rarely paused to check if everyone made it with us. Thankfully we were a small group total and helped each other to find her. I cannot tell you if she knew a lot or little about the Colosseum are the ancient Roman ruins we saw, as none of us understood her. now mind you with this same company we took their golf cart city tour and the girl who was our guide spoke excellent English. I was sold that when we checked in, so won’t be able to review that on Viator. So be wary of the guide. The sites themselves were very crowded. We did as a “group” get to skip the line for the coliseum, but we did have to stand in line for 30 mins to get into the Ruins to start the day. Also note to make sure you keep handy your printed ticket - you will need it over and over. This is not the fault of the tour operator, but they could have wanted us better to not put it away (maybe she did and we did not understand her). Additionally note that for both sites the ruins and the coliseum, you will need government issued ID - that was very clear on the documents the tour operator sent us and was true. There is very little shade at the ruins, the coliseum had a lot of shade options. If you’re thinking a private tour will get you a more private experience, don’t bother with that, it won’t. Oh also?l, be very prepared for pickpockets and very pushy street salesmen who will try to push water and portable chargers, parasols and other stuff on you. Repeatedly, again this was not the tour operators fault, but I would encourage them to do more direct sharing of information to make you aware of the pickpockets and not to engage with the street salesmen who people other than to kindly tell them no thank you and do not touch the stuff they’re trying to hand you. My biggest issue was we paid a premium to get a small group tour in English and while the guide might be able to pass an English test, ask the people who go on tour with her from England or the USA and I am sure they will tell you similar to us, she’s nice but can’t be understood. Very disappointing.
Russell_S, Jun 2026
It was awesome. The guide was amazing. She was very knowledgeable. It was very hot and she keep us in the shade as much as possible to explain things.
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Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re glad you had an awesome experience and that your guide made the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour enjoyable with her knowledge and care during the heat. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Irene_H, Jun 2026
We happened to schedule our tour during a heat wave with temps reaching over 100. Our tour guide, Roberto, was interesting, charming, accommodating, and made the best a very hot tour. We had a long wait in the hot sun to get into Palestine Hill. The colosseum talk went very slow but was interesting. Overall, the tour was easy to book, organized, and well done. I recommend not booking tours in Rome in June.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re glad Roberto made your Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour interesting, organized, and enjoyable despite the extreme heat. We appreciate your kind recommendation and hope to welcome you again in cooler weather.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Shirley_C, Jun 2026
Marianna was fantastic! She was so knowledgeable about the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Our tour did not feel long at all, despite very high heat (95°!) Marianna was very warm and personable, looking out for all the partipants to make sure we were hydrated and not overly tired or hot. She found all the shady spots. And at the end, her recommendations for food and gelato were spot on. Well done!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that Marianna made your Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour so enjoyable with her knowledge, warmth, and care for everyone during the heat. We’re also glad her food and gelato recommendations were a success. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
SS_C, Jun 2026
Our tour guide Andy was THE best!! He was educated, funny and a great photographer.
He made our small group of 20 feel like family and provided helpful tips while staying in Italy.
We were so pleased to meet him & enjoyed the experience because of his out standing expertise. = >
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that Andy made your Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour such a memorable experience.
It’s great to know his knowledge, humor, photography skills, and helpful tips made your small group feel so welcoming and enjoyable. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Derrick_B, Jun 2026
When you book a “skip the line” tour with this vendor you should know that you’ll be in a LONG line of others that also booked a “skip the line” tour. After we were told it would be a few minutes in line, then waiting 20 minutes without moving an inch, and realizing this would be a lot longer, we decided to leave. I asked for a refund but was denied. I’m sure the tour would be great if we ever got to do it.
Eric_J, Jun 2026
Very understanding guide and company. Guide was extremely knowledgeable. And, had additional information.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your review. We are glad to hear that your guide was understanding, knowledgeable, and provided additional information throughout the tour.
We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Janice_B, Jun 2026
Great tour with a great knowledgeable guide and great humour. A very enjoyable & educational tour thank you
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review, Janice. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your small group Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour.
It is lovely to know your guide made the experience both educational and enjoyable with great knowledge and humor. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Patricia_J, Jun 2026
Our guide was exceptional. He was very knowledgeable and able to answer questions and very aware of all in his care.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review, Patricia. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your small group Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour.
It is lovely to know your guide made the experience exceptional with his knowledge, thoughtful care, and attention to everyone in the group. We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Michelle_S, May 2026
Our guide Claudio was fun and knowledgeable.
Thank you for a great trip
Would love to have seen the underground, but understand the reasons.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that Claudio made your Colosseum and Roman Forum experience so enjoyable with his fun personality and knowledge throughout the tour.
We also appreciate your understanding regarding the underground access and are very happy that you still had a great overall experience.
We hope to welcome you again soon in Rome.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Julie_C, May 2026
Mary with Crown Tours was our guide and she was awesome. She was very knowledgeable and considerate of our abilities climbing steps and navigating uneven surfaces. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review, Julie. We are so happy to hear that Mary made your Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour such a great experience with her knowledge and considerate approach.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Deborah_S, May 2026
Our guided tour to the colosseum was amazing even with the rain. My only complaint is that the meeting place listed on my app wasn’t the meeting place. We met at the same place we redeemed our voucher for tickets. We were running late so I went to redemption meeting spot and my group went to meeting point per app. Group had to turn around and come to redemption spot.
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear Deborah,
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that you still had an amazing experience at the Colosseum despite the rain.
We also appreciate your feedback regarding the meeting point information. We understand how stressful that confusion must have been, especially while running late, and we will share your comments internally to help improve the clarity of our instructions for future guests.
Thank you again for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Alan_R, May 2026
Allessandro looked after us very well and was aware that was not quite mobile. So while there are steps to negotiate he directed us away to lifts while our companions trudged up the stairs and thus we didn’t hold anyone up.
He impacted lots of information about the building, the Roman empire and more recent and we came away feeling we really knew far more now. Of course whether it sticks in the memory banks will be the test!
We enjoyed the experience and gained far more than if we had just visited and‘winged it’
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear Alan,
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are glad to hear that Alessandro looked after you so well and made the tour informative, accessible, and enjoyable with his knowledge of Roman history.
We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Kent_G, May 2026
The tour was amazing! Our tour guide, Valeria, was exceptional. She was very knowledgeable, patient, and spoke excellent English. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review, Kent!
We’re delighted to hear that Valeria’s knowledge, patience, and clear communication made your Colosseum experience so exceptional.
We hope to welcome you again soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
michael_p, Apr 2026
Hill and ruins were unbelievable tour guide was great very knowledgeable coliseum tour was good bit not the star of the show
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your kind review, Michael.
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and found the ruins and Palatine Hill so impressive, as well as appreciating your guide’s knowledge.
We hope to welcome you again on another tour.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
CatherineAnn_M, Apr 2026
It was really informative, we were so impressed with Isa’s knowledge of the history of Rome and her knowledge of the our current world. She made the experience of touring the colosseum very immersive and interesting.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review, Catherine Ann.
We’re delighted to hear that Isa’s knowledge and engaging approach made your Colosseum experience so immersive and interesting.
We hope to welcome you again on another tour.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
carl_k, Apr 2026
If you are lucky enough to get Catalina as your tour guide, you are getting one of the most amazing and knowledgeable tour guides I have ever had the please of touring with…of course, seeing the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palestine Hills was absolutely stunning, BUT having her as our tour guide made this tour an absolute dream, her telling us so much more of the history then you could ever get on your own. Bravo to Catalina!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your fantastic review, Carl.
We’re delighted to hear that Catalina’s knowledge and passion made your experience so special. Her storytelling truly brings the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill to life.
We hope to welcome you again on another tour.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Rachel_M, Apr 2026
Our guide, David V, was great and made all the difference. The crowds are intense and he was good at navigating through them. Even with skip the line, the lines are long
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your kind review, Rachel.
We’re delighted to hear that David’s guidance made such a positive difference and that he helped navigate the crowds effectively. We also appreciate your note regarding the waiting times, especially during busy periods.
We hope to welcome you again on another tour.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
MARTIN_G, Apr 2026
Good tour guide. History explained well. Very crowded, but pace was good. We would take it again. We would take the underground tour next time.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your kind review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the guide’s explanations and found the pace comfortable, even with the crowds.
We hope to welcome you again on another tour—perhaps the underground experience next time.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Eulalia_D, Apr 2026
Fantastic guided tour of the colosseum with crown tours (one of the options through Viator).
Our guide Bianca was spectacular. She was knowledgeable, kind, a pleasant local gem! We went through tons of long lines (security, QR code checks) very fast and the overwhelming crowd of the colosseum felt much more “distant”, while we were pleasantly listening Bianca’ stories throughout the entire walking tour.
Definitely recommend. I went with my teenage daughter
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that Bianca’s knowledge, kindness, and storytelling made your Colosseum experience so enjoyable and seamless, even with the crowds.
We hope to welcome you and your daughter again on another tour soon.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Theresa_C, Mar 2026
My family of three enjoyed this trip with our guide, Mikkela who was very friendly, kind, knowledgeable and a very fast walker. Set your expectations correctly for this trip and you will enjoy it. This was our first visit to Pompeii, and it was very interesting and impressive. We didn't realize the city was so vast. The time spent here was jam packed. The Pompeii specific guide mentioned one could spend 2-3 days and 4-5 hours per day since there is so much to see. The tour guide provided a timesaving option for a take-out pizza lunch to eat on the bus after the Pompeii visit. We opted for this and shared a pizza which was just ok and enough to keep away any hunger pains. The Limoncello factory 15-minute stop was not of interest to us, so we took pictures of the Sorrento coast and had a lemonade slushie (delicious) rather than tasting the liquors and candy. This was also our first visit to Sorrento so for this stop we followed the guide down to get a view of the beach and then my husband and I relaxed on a terrace with a drink and enjoyed the view. My daughter did some window shopping in the town. We were fortunate to take this tour in March when the weather is nice but it is not peak season when Sorrento would be so crowded. The tour was well organized and fast paced. The bus was comfortable for the 12-hour trip and the driver very professional.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your detailed and kind review. We are delighted to hear that Mikkela’s friendliness and knowledge, along with the well-organized itinerary, made your Pompeii and Sorrento experience so enjoyable.
We hope to welcome you again on another Crown Tours experience.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
rosemarie_d, Mar 2026
The guide really knew about Rome and especially these sites. Without him, we wouldnt have had such a full experience, understanding their meaning and archeological facts. He brought the Colliseum to life, and did not overlook its purpose and did not rush us.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that the guide’s knowledge and engaging approach helped bring the Colosseum and surrounding sites to life for you.
We hope to welcome you again on another Crown Tours experience.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Kim_B, Mar 2026
Our tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill with Olesea was fantastic. As an art history teacher, she brought an incredible depth of knowledge to the tour and explained the history of these sites in a way that was both fascinating and easy to understand.
What made the experience even better was her personality. She added just the right amount of humor and a bit of sarcasm, which made the tour especially engaging and enjoyable. It felt less like a lecture and more like a lively conversation about ancient Rome.
Olesea’s passion for history and storytelling truly brought these incredible ruins to life. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that Olesea’s deep knowledge and engaging storytelling made the tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill so memorable.
We hope to welcome you again on another tour!
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
daniel_s, Feb 2026
We have booked a small group tour with crown tours in Rome for colosseum visit. I only got WhatsApp messages few day before that reminded the tour, which is great. However a day before I got a message which WhatsApp blocked as it wasn’t in my contacts list, where I was told to be in place 30 min before the tour. I did not see that message and we were on time , on the minute to the tour. The was a person there that we weren’t sure was the guide but he was alone and started to leave. I called the company and they told me we were late!! This was outrageous as we weren’t. We got to their offices, and they said we were late and that we can enter alone without the guide (this was 7 min since the actual start time already). We told them that we are a small group , we are 5 persons out of the total 10, so why can’t they wait few minutes. As we were on time!!!. They did not want to listen and also not to refund us - as we paid more money for a small group visit. At the end they said they cannot do anything and that we should contact you at viator, which is really bad as they do not take any responsibility and we obviously did not had time for that. At the end we do a solo visit and paid actually triple for it as we did. It have any guide. Really lousy experience. Will never use a third party company if the actual company giving the service is not accountable and also doesn’t give adequate service and most important that we booked th cost on a specific time (13:45) but the fact that a day before we did not receive the message to be 30 min warily is really bad , had I known that we never would order
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your disappointment. Please note that the meeting time and arrival instructions are clearly stated on the voucher, including the recommendation to arrive at least 30 minutes in advance. Due to the Colosseum’s strict entry schedule, late arrivals unfortunately cannot be guaranteed participation in the guided tour. We regret that this situation affected your experience.
If you would like to discuss this further, please feel free to email us at feedback@crowntours.com
.
Sky
Crown Tours
Jennifer_S, Dec 2025
Very knowledgeable tour guide! This is a great highlight of the coliseum, forum and palatine hill. So interesting!!!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Jennifer,
Thank you for your kind feedback. We’re very happy to hear that you found the tour guide knowledgeable and that exploring the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill was such an interesting highlight of your visit. It’s always wonderful to know when our tours leave a lasting impression.
We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future.
Best regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Louise_S, Nov 2025
Our guide was knowledgeable. She was able to answer all of our questions. She had a lovely manner and was able to by pass all the crowds.
Patrice_N, Oct 2025
Umber (guide) was exceptional!!!!! She had so much knowledge about the history. It was one of my favorite tours.
Kevin_W, Oct 2025
Our guide was really nice and friendly. She really knew the history of the area and brought a note book of photos to show before and after photos. We did think that she got a bit too detailed on the history and at times I noticed part of our group wondering off.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Kevin,
Thank you for the thoughtful review and for recognizing your guide’s friendliness and knowledge, glad the before/after visuals helped bring the sites to life. We hear your point about the level of historical detail; we’ll share this with our team to better balance depth with pacing so guests can stay engaged throughout.
We appreciate the feedback and hope to welcome you again for an experience that feels perfectly paced for you.
Warm regards,
Sky
Crown Tours
Laura_R, Oct 2025
Get the small group tour, much nicer. Damien was our guide and very knowledgeable, full of interesting historical stories.
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